2024 MLB Miscellaneous News

[Lathund]

The Chicago White Sox DFAd Martin Maldonado on July 19, and have not won a game since. 

[Jopal78]

46 minutes ago, Lathund said:

The Chicago White Sox DFAd Martin Maldonado on July 19, and have not won a game since. 

What an utter train wreck. Benintendi is one of the worst players in the league and they’ve got him for 3 more guaranteed seasons after this one for big money. 

[sveumrules]

11 minutes ago, Jopal78 said:

What an utter train wreck. Benintendi is one of the worst players in the league and they’ve got him for 3 more guaranteed seasons after this one for big money. 

Someone posted a graphic recently with whole organization win percentage from the rookie leagues on up to MLB this year and they were in the bottom couple few spots on that too.

I was looking at the team leaders for position players 26 and under this year and the White Sox are 30th with -1.9 WAR.   

They are also capped at the #10 pick in the draft next year with the new Draft Lottery stipulations.

[nate82]

Baseball will be played where now?  Seriously MLB at Bristol Motor Speedway?  Why?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5684541/2024/08/06/braves-reds-game-bristol-motor-speedway-2025/?source=user_shared_article

[AKCheesehead]

So instead of a warning moat, they'll have a warning race track?

[wildcat83]

Valdez a no no thru 8

[MrTPlush]

4 hours ago, nate82 said:

Baseball will be played where now?  Seriously MLB at Bristol Motor Speedway?  Why?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5684541/2024/08/06/braves-reds-game-bristol-motor-speedway-2025/?source=user_shared_article

I mean, who cares? At worst it is a fun and goofy concept. 
 

Should we really fault the MLB for trying to grow interest in the game? There are almost 2,500 games a year

[nate82]

Just now, MrTPlush said:

Should we really fault the MLB for trying to grow interest in the game?

I don't mind baseball being played in a unique place as long as the place makes sense.  A racetrack doesn't really make any sense. 

[Underachiever]

9 hours ago, wildcat83 said:

Valdez a no no thru 8

ESPN's headline initially said the Valdez threw the second no-hitter of his career. I checked the box score and they had removed him for Hader. ESPN jumped the gun a little bit.

[Playing Catch]

9 hours ago, nate82 said:

I don't mind baseball being played in a unique place as long as the place makes sense.  A racetrack doesn't really make any sense. 

I'm not sure Bristol Motor Speedway would be the first venue I would envision, if I were tasked with finding new and unique locales (that can make money and draw eyeballs). However, in the article, it states that if it sold out, it would be the largest crowd in MLB history. Austin Riley compares it to SEC football. I dunno. It sounds stupid on the surface, but after thinking about it, I can see why they're doing it.

[kestrel79]

Brewers vs Cubs at Lambeau, or Soldier Field would be cool. But I'm not sure a baseball field would fit.

[Frisbee Slider]

I am waiting for a game on an aircraft carrier.

https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2020/7/20/21331599/toronto-blue-jays-play-on-a-nimitz-class-aircraft-carrier
 

 

[Brewcrew82]

All I want is a Sandlot game. Is that really too much to ask for?

[Thurston Fluff]

1 hour ago, Brewcrew82 said:

All I want is a Sandlot game. Is that really too much to ask for?

They have that several times a year every year. It's called a White Sox v. A's game.

[Brian]

17 hours ago, nate82 said:

Baseball will be played where now?  Seriously MLB at Bristol Motor Speedway?  Why?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5684541/2024/08/06/braves-reds-game-bristol-motor-speedway-2025/?source=user_shared_article

Just like the polo grounds where foul territory had almost as many sq. ft. as fare territory. 

https://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/ballparks/polo-grounds/

[jay87shot]

1 hour ago, Brewcrew82 said:

All I want is a Sandlot game. Is that really too much to ask for?

Agree, only like 100 people family attendance. If they can have a field of dreams game why not a sandlot game.

[Jopal78]

The NFL and NHL have held games in unique venues for years.
 

I know MLB did some games in Asia and at the Negro league park, has a game scheduled in Japan next year and now the race track, but I’d be all for more special venues where a game can be held makes things more interesting to watch, especially given the bland nature of 2/3 of the modern baseball stadiums

[Vgmastr]

Doc About 1982 Milwaukee Brewers To Screen Exclusively In Wisconsin’s Marcus Theatres

[BruisedCrew]

We’re seeing the latest example of how quickly the complexion of a division race can change. 
 

Last Friday the Guardians beat the Orioles for the second night in a row to boost their record to 67-42. They have led the AL Central since mid April, and have led by as many as 9 games. After that win last Friday they led the Royals by 6 games and the Twins by 6.5. Their announcers were trumpeting the fact that the Guardians had not lost more than 3 games in a row all season.

This afternoon, the Guardians lost the first game of a doubleheader to the Twins to kick off a four game weekend series. It was the Guardians sixth loss in a row and cut their division lead to 2.5 games over the Twins and 3.5 over the Royals. 

That is suddenly a tight 3 team race that could get tighter based on the weekend games. 

[TURBO]

1 hour ago, BruisedCrew said:

We’re seeing the latest example of how quickly the complexion of a division race can change. 
 

Last Friday the Guardians beat the Orioles for the second night in a row to boost their record to 67-42. They have led the AL Central since mid April, and have led by as many as 9 games. After that win last Friday they led the Royals by 6 games and the Twins by 6.5. Their announcers were trumpeting the fact that the Guardians had not lost more than 3 games in a row all season.

This afternoon, the Guardians lost the first game of a doubleheader to the Twins to kick off a four game weekend series. It was the Guardians sixth loss in a row and cut their division lead to 2.5 games over the Twins and 3.5 over the Royals. 

That is suddenly a tight 3 team race that could get tighter based on the weekend games. 

Yeah, and to think that can't happen to the Brewers is insane.

The Guardians are a really good team, it can happen to anyone.

[yourout]

On 8/7/2024 at 8:34 AM, Frisbee Slider said:

I am waiting for a game on an aircraft carrier.

https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2020/7/20/21331599/toronto-blue-jays-play-on-a-nimitz-class-aircraft-carrier
 

 

I am betting no one would be going over the fence after balls

[Playing Catch]

1 hour ago, TURBO said:

Yeah, and to think that can't happen to the Brewers is insane.

The Guardians are a really good team, it can happen to anyone.

Not sure if you were highlighting the tight races in the AL East, or the AL Central, but in both scenarios your examples include 2nd place teams that are really, really good. Other than the Brewers, which team in the NL Central is really really good? Unless you, (and others), continue to insist that the Brewers aren't really really good.

[sveumrules]

Lotsa similarities (dominant defense, bullpen and RISP), but also a couple decent sized differences between the Brewers and Guardians this year.

For as bad as many think the Brewers rotation might be with a 101 ERA- (14th) and 7.6 rWAR (16th), the Guardians rotation actually has been that bad and then some with a 114 ERA- (27th) and 4.4 rWAR (27th).

Brewers offense has also been a scooch better with a 109 wRC+ (9th) and 4.89 R/G (7th) versus a 102 wRC+ (13th) and 4.65 R/G (12th) for the Guardians.

Royals & Twins both went 12 W - 1 L against the White Sox, but Guardians are only 5 W - 5 L so far. Not cashing in on all those free wins could be a huge swing if Cleveland ends up losing the division.

Twins kind of control their own destiny with eight games left against the Guardians, but are O W - 5 L against CLE in their first five meetings so are gonna need to close it out strong.

The Royals have fared better against CLE at 4 W - 2 L, but have come up short head to head against MIN at 2 W - 5 L.

[BruisedCrew]

1 hour ago, Playing Catch said:

Not sure if you were highlighting the tight races in the AL East, or the AL Central, but in both scenarios your examples include 2nd place teams that are really, really good. Other than the Brewers, which team in the NL Central is really really good? Unless you, (and others), continue to insist that the Brewers aren't really really good.

He was responding to my very simple observation that the Guardians  were sailing along but suddenly lost 6 in a row and saw their 6 game lead drop to 2.5 in less than a week. And that wasn’t because the teams behind them did anything unusual or special. 
 

[BruisedCrew]

Twins complete the doubleheader sweep to cut the Guardians lead to 1.5 games.